


Three Nights

by fleetinginfinities



Category: Victorious (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Slowish build, bat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:55:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22148266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fleetinginfinities/pseuds/fleetinginfinities
Summary: The one where Cat stays with Beck for three nights, and those three nights change everything.
Relationships: Beck Oliver/Cat Valentine
Comments: 6
Kudos: 80





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! It's been... years. 
> 
> I’m re-watching Victorious on Netflix mostly for background noise, but I’ve found myself suddenly back in 2012 when I was absolutely obsessed with the wonderful and vastly unexplored dynamic between Cat and Beck. I always loved this pairing. Let’s see if I can do it justice. I haven’t written fanfiction in years. 
> 
> Set sometime in the time period after Beck and Jade broke up and before they got back together again.
> 
> I think this will probably have 3 or 4 chapters! We'll see. I hope you enjoy :)

Lately, the phrase stuck on a loop in Beck’s head is, “dodged a bullet.”

Okay, sure, that’s a bit harsh, but harsh doesn’t equate to untrue. 

He’d loved Jade. Truly. They’d been inexplicably drawn to each other from their first meeting, had undeniable chemistry, and he certainly didn’t look back on their relationship with all negative feelings. But something happened between the beginning of sophomore year and the end of junior year. He had changed, and was changing still. 

Suddenly, Jade’s domineering anger and lack of trust after so many years was no longer just an inconvenience and mildly entertaining, it was exhausting and bordering on abusive. 

Suddenly, where he had previously found excitement in the constant arguments because they ignited passion and heat between the two, he began to only feel cold and irritated with her.

And then when he had taken some time to think and reflect on it, he realized that it wasn’t all so “sudden” at all. It wasn’t that she was becoming less tolerable, in fact, in a lot of ways she was maturing. 

The thing is, he was, too. And in the end, it was easier to leave than he ever thought it would be. 

Besides, now he has more time to spend playing video games with Andre and Robbie, and he can actually converse with Tori – or any other female friend – without feeling the urge to look over his shoulder. 

And, he’s even realizing how much he enjoys Cat’s company and friendship without Jade being the common connection between the two. He’d always liked her well enough; she was funny, innocent, and adorable, but she was always Jade’s best friend. Most of the time he was the third wheel hanging out with the two of them, or she was with him and Jade.  
That’s why it surprised him when they’d broken up at Tori’s house and she seemingly chose his side, staying back to play cards and not rushing out after Jade.

She was also the only person that didn’t act awkward around him or Jade or even seem aware of the custody battle they were currently navigating with their friends. She was just Cat, with her head in the clouds in the best way. 

She had this way of pulling him up there, too, lately. It was crazy how much lighter he felt when he was with her. Like he’s floating, and he can’t quite get enough of it. 

Beck snapped out of his train of deep thoughts when he nearly tripped over something rounding the corner heading to his locker. He looked down at saw none other than Cat herself leaning against the lockers, knees pulled up and hugged against her chest, jacket falling off of one shoulder, eyes shut.

“Cat?” 

The redhead’s long eyelashes fluttered open, her brown eyes dazed and confused. She blinked a few times. “Oh!”

“What are you doing down there?” Beck asked, stifling a grin and extending a hang. “Isn’t it a little early for a nap? The homeroom bell hasn’t even rung yet.”

Cat accepted his help up and laughed, but it didn’t hold the airy, carefree quality it usually did. It seemed nervous. “I – sorry – I didn’t mean to trip you! I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

“Why not?” 

“Well, because I couldn’t sleep in my bed.” 

Beck scrutinized her. “Why not?”

“Well…” she hesitated, looking down and grabbing a red curl to twirl; something Beck had recently deemed her nervous habit. “Because my parents are away on a trip and my brother locked me out.”

“Of your bedroom?” Beck raised his eyebrows.

“Of my house.”  
“What?!”

“Yeah…we were on my patio and he got mad at me because I had homework and didn’t want to play tennis. So he ran inside and locked me out.”

“What time was this?” Beck asked incredulously. 

Cat shrugged. “After dinner sometime.”

“So you were locked out all night?”

“Yeah,” she said in a small voice.

His blood boiled in his veins. He’d heard stories of Cat’s brother plenty of times before, but it was always from the past and he’d thought her parents had gotten more of a grip on him or provided him with whatever help he clearly needed since then, but to hear that they just left him and Cat on their own for however long when he was so obviously unstable infuriated him. 

Beck knew that Cat didn’t handle anger or yelling well, though, so he tried to level his voice. “What did you do?”

“I slept in my garage as much as I could, but it was cold and uncomfortable and smells bad in there, so I came here early this morning because I know the teachers come in a lot earlier and I figured I could get some better sleep here. And then you found me!”

Beck sighed, feeling a knot in his stomach. How could she still possibly be trying to be perky and positive? 

“Cat…how long are your parents going to be away?”

She thought about it. “What’s today?”

“Tuesday.”

“They’ll be back on Friday!”

That was three more nights. That was three nights too long.

“Cat, how would you feel about staying at my place?” he asked before he could think any better of it. “Or Jade’s house, or Tori’s house?” he added quickly. 

She looked startled. “Um…” 

“I know you love your brother, but he shouldn’t lock you out of your own house. I just think it might be better if you stay with one of your friends for a few nights so that you can actually get some sleep.”

“You’re right,” she said. “I don’t really want to tell Jade or Tori about this, though. The last time my brother did something to me, Jade threw something at him and I feel like Tori would just tell her parents and they would call the police and then my parents would find out and –“ she started panicking and hyperventilating. 

Beck placed both of his hands on her shoulders. “Cat, you can stay with me and I don’t have to mention it to anyone.” 

“You promise?” she asked, calming down a bit and not breaking eye contact. 

“I promise.” 

He knew that was probably the wrong promise to make. After all, if Cat’s brother was dangerously unstable, someone should know. But it definitely wasn’t his place to tell her other friends, and he’d acted on a whim. Maybe he would be able to figure out someone else to tell, but he had to make sure she was safe first. And now that she would be staying with him, at least she would be.

“I have my RV and there’s my bed and the couch. I’ll sleep on the couch. You’re welcome to stay,” he said. 

“Beck, you don’t have to sleep on the couch!” she giggled. “I’ll sleep there. There’s lots of pillows.” 

“We’ll see,” he smiled, happy that she agreed to his arrangement.

“Hey guys!” Tori Vega’s chipper voice rang out as she walked up to the two of them. 

“Hi!” Cat chirped back, Beck gave a small wave. 

“Cat, didn’t you wear that same outfit yesterday?” Tori asked.

“Yeah,” was all Cat said. 

Beck couldn’t help but notice that Tori didn’t try to look deeper or question further, and felt a pang of guilt knowing that there were probably countless times he didn’t either.

“Cat!” Jade called from across the hall, arms crossed, standing at her own locker alone.

“Coming!” Cat cried, bounding over to the dark haired girl.


	2. Night One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blown away at how many people still browse for Beck and Cat works! I love that I'm not the only one. Thanks for the feedback so far!
> 
> This chapter is shorter. I promise the rest will be longer, but I'm finding trouble pacing a work that is this length - just a few chapters, but way too long to be one-shot. I hope you all don't mind! I also plan on updating a lot sooner for the next one, which is already half written :)

-

Cat didn’t arrive to his trailer until well after 10pm.

“I’m sorry I’m here so late!” She chirped, setting her backpack down. “I stopped by home to grab some clothes for tomorrow. My brother was napping and didn’t even realize — oh, phooey I forgot pajamas!”

“I can lend you something,” Beck offered. “How was working on your project?”

“Thanks! And the project is going great! It just took so long. We kept getting so distracted, I lost track of time. Matt is so funny!” 

Matt Johnson was Cat's partner for a costume design project. Beck felt himself frowning as a knot formed in his stomach... but why? He wasn’t the jealous type. He liked Matt, he even had a few production classes with him. But why was he working with Cat for nearly 6 hours after school? And how, exactly, did they keep getting distracted?

“Are you okay?” Cat asked, eyes widening. “Are you sick?!”

“No, no,” Beck said quickly, regaining composure. “Sorry, I just zoned out for a minute... uh, anyway, what do you need for bed?”

“Just a shower and something to sleep in!” She said. 

Beck pointed her to the small shower and dug through a drawer for an oversized shirt and a pair of old basketball shorts, tossing them over to her. 

“Thanks Beck!” She said as she closed the door to the bathroom. 

He took advantage of the time she was in the shower, smiling to himself as he heard her humming a random song, and got his bed situated for her to sleep in for the night. There was no way he would be inconsiderate enough to make her take the couch. 

Fifteen minutes later, as he was just laying on the couch scrolling through his friends' posts on The Slap (Not missing Cat's post of a picture of her and Matt making funny faces with the caption 'feeling: silly!') Cat emerged from the bathroom with damp red hair, a fresh face, and his clothes basically swallowing her whole. His shirt hung down to her knees, the shorts went to nearly her calves, but she looked absolutely adorable. She gestured to herself and giggled, owning how funny she looked. 

“Are they too big?” He asked, stifling a laugh.

“Maybe,” she grinned, “but they’re so comfy!”

“Well, good. Hey, you get the bed tonight.” 

“Are you sure?” She asked.

“Completely.”

“Okay!” She bounded over and jumped up on it, giggling as she did so. 

“Goodnight, Cat,” Beck said, and it came out softer than he meant.

She didn’t miss a beat. “Night, Beck!”

It took him much longer to fall asleep than he would have liked, and despite what he would ever tell anyone who asked, it had nothing to do with being on the couch for the night.


End file.
